Trump rides high after Republican win
WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump basked on Wednesday in a Republican victory in a closely-watched election in Georgia, telling cheering supporters at a rally in Iowa that “the people love us”.
Tuesday’s congressional election had been widely cast as a referendum on the young administration as it battles a swirling Russian scandal and a string of legislative setbacks, and the president seized on the result as a vote of confidence.
“We won last night,” he told the crowd in Cedar Rapids. “All we do is win, win, win!”
Establishment Republican Karen Handel defeated Democratic novice Jon Ossoff, after what turned into the most expensive congressional race in history, retaining a seat her camp has held since 1979, and calming party jitters about the impact of the president’s troubles on local and national politics.
“The truth is, the people love us,” Trump crowed to the Iowa gathering.
After wins in South Carolina, Kansas and Montana, Trump’s Republicans have won all four special elections held since his inauguration in January, leaving Democrats demoralised as they seek to snatch control of Congress in next year’s mid-term elections.
“They thought they were going to win last night in Atlanta,” Trump jeered at the Democrats. “They spent close to US$30 million (RM128 million) on this kid!”
Hammering home his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again”, Trump reprised his key campaign themes: defending American borders, repealing the Obamacare “disaster ”, promising record tax cuts and touting “the amazing progress that we have already made”. AFP